[PhilPhys] Oxford Phil Physics Seminar this week

[Chris Timpson]

Dear All,

 

(Apologies for cross-postings)

 

In the final Philosophy of Physics seminar at Oxford this term, we are pleased to welcome Prof. Dennis Dieks from the Institute for History and Foundations of Science at Utrecht.

 

He will be talking on:

 

“The conventionality of simultaneity reconsidered”

 

Abstract:

 

There is a standard philosophy of physics story about relativistic simultaneity that runs more or less as follows. In 1905 Einstein already pointed out that simultaneity in SRT must be considered conventional, and this point was systematically worked out by Reichenbach in his famous ε-analysis (later adapted by Grünbaum). It testifies to the lack of philosophical sophistication of quite some working physicists that a number of them have nevertheless proposed methods for measuring the one-way velocity of light---attempts that evidently are doomed to fail. Admittedly, the story continues, there does exist a threat to the conventionality thesis, namely Malament’s proof that only ε = ½ leads to a simultaneity relation satisfying a number of natural requirements; but then, it can very well be argued that these requirements are themselves conventional.

The real history is more complicated and more interesting than this. In the talk I shall review some of its highlights and I shall attempt a reconsideration of the conventionality thesis. 

 

Thursday 16.30 Lecture Room, 10 Merton St. All Welcome!

 

Best wishes,

Chris Timpson

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